Confidence Queen (TV series)
2025 South Korean TV series
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Confidence Queen (Korean: 컨피던스 맨 KR) is a 2025 South Korean crime comedy television series starring Park Min-young, Park Hee-soon and Joo Jong-hyuk. A remake of the original Japanese 2018 drama, The Confidence Man JP, the series follows three con artists who devise elaborate and unconventional schemes to exploit individuals driven by greed, set against the backdrop of the real estate and financial sectors.[1] It premiered on TV Chosun on September 6, 2025, aired every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST). It is available to stream on Coupang Play in South Korea and on Prime Video in 240 countries (excluding Mainland China and South Korea).[2][3]
| Confidence Queen | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 컨피던스 맨 KR |
| RR | Keonpideonseu maen KR |
| MR | K'ŏnp'idŏnsŭ maen KR |
| Genre | Crime Comedy |
| Based on | The Confidence Man JP by Ryôta Kosawa |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Nam Ki-hoon |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 61 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | |
| Release | September 6 – October 12, 2025 |
| Related | |
| The Confidence Man JP | |
On September 16, 2025, TV Chosun announced the change of broadcast time to 22:30 from earlier 21:10 (KST) starting from the fifth episode, due to the low viewership.[4]
Cast and characters
Main
- Park Min-young as Yoon Yi-rang
- The leader of Team Confidence Man, a genius conman in the top 1% of South Korea with an IQ of 165
- Ki So-yu as young Yoon Yi-rang
- Park Hee-soon as James[5]
- The spiritual pillar of Team Confidence Man, a middle-aged man who exemplifies French chic.
- Joo Jong-hyuk as Myung Gu-ho[6]
- He is the youngest member of Team Confidence Man, with a pure and upright personality and a tall and handsome appearance
Supporting
- Hyun Bong-sik as Mr. Mule, porter in episode 1
- Kim Young-mi
Cameo
- Song Ji-hyo as Baek-hwa, a shaman (Episode 1)[7]
- Lee Bong-ryun as Yesol's mother (Episode 1)[8]
- Jung Woong-in as Jeon Tae-soo, loan shark kingpin (Episode 1, 2)[9]
- Jung Yi-joo as Kim Bo-ra, an art student with dreams (Episodes 3, 4)[10]
- Lee Yi-kyung as Yoo Myung-min, art critic, a buyer for the world's top auction house.[11]
- Choi Hong-il as Kim Yong-bok, a master of forgery
- Rowoon as a manager, (Episodes 3, 4)[12]
- Kim Joo-ah as Han Jae-hee, victim of a botched surgery
- Kim Sun-young as Jae-kyung Hospital's CEO Lee Sun-mi
- Ha Jun as surgeon, Jo Sung-woo
- Kwon Da-ham as Im Kwang-sik
- Kim Han-jong as Mr. Mustache[13]
- Yoon Chae-kyung as Lee Hye-yoon, beauty YouTuber and victim of Gil Mi-in
- Oh Na-ra as Gil Mi-in, the CEO of Mystique
- Yura as gas station worker[14]
- Yoo Seung-mok as Lee Sung-min
- Park Myung-hoon as Ha Jung-ho, CEO of HaHaJungho, a large-scale seafood distribution company
- Kim Byeong-chun as Oh Chang-dae, factory owner[15]
- Kim Bo-sung as himself[16]
- Kim Tae-hoon as Kang Yo-seop, a famous architect and professor, CEO of Josef Architects
- Kang Nam-gil as Mr. Jo Man-bok
- Um Hyo-sup as Yoo Sang-won, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
- Jung Ae-yeon as Lee Na-ra,lawyer and acting representative of Jay Fund International
- Han Groo as Ko Sang-hee, girlfriend of James
- Yeo Hoe-hyun as Oracle Engineering and the second-generation tycoon[17]
Production
The series is the first Korean original drama for Prime Video. It is a joint collaboration with Coupang Play and TV Chosun, directed by Nam Ki-hoon, written by Hong Sung-hyun, who wrote Cheo Yong (2013), Criminal Minds (2017), and produced by the production company TME Group in association with GHOST4 Production and The Fifth Wall Studio.[18][19]
On July 23, 2024, it was reported that Park Min-young was considering to appear in the series in lead role.[20] On July 11, 2025, it was confirmed that Song Ji-hyo would make a special appearance in the series.[21] The script reading photos were revealed on August 11, 2025.[22]
The series began filming in September 2024 and finished filming all 12 episodes in May 2025.[23] Park Min-young shared photos showcasing the various characters she portrayed in the series; one such character is of a flight attendant,[24] the scenes for which were filmed at Clark International Airport in Pampanga, Philippines.[25]
Release and reception
The first Korean 'Amazon Original Drama' started streaming on Prime Video globally (excluding Mainland China and South Korea) and Coupang Play in South Korea on September 6, 2025.[26][27]
The series was at the 9th place in the worldwide rankings of Amazon Prime TV shows after the release of episodes 1 and 2.[28] On September 12, it was reported that the series is at 5th place worldwide in the Amazon Prime TV and 4th place in Coupang Play's popular shows as of September 10.[29]
The series ended on October 12, 2025. It ranked among the top 8 most-watched shows worldwide on Amazon Prime TV, and placed in the top 3 on Coupang Play’s weekly list of most popular shows.[30]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Speed Dial 0" | September 6, 2025 | |
|
Yoon Yi-rang, the leader of Team Confidence Man, targets Baek Hwa, a swindler who deceived a concerned mother, Yesol-mo. Using a staged casino and a team of disguised allies—Myung Gu-ho and James; they manipulate Baek Hwa into a high-stakes gamble that ends in chaos, betrayal, and a bag of talismans instead of cash. Gu-ho, wounded and disillusioned, retires to a quiet seaside life, but he is drawn back when James is injured during a solo mission against their next target, Jeon Tae-soo. Yi-rang infiltrates 'Rising Airlines' as a flight attendant, while Gu-ho poses as the chairman’s illegitimate son to bait Jeon. Their plan unfolds across an airport and a swapped suitcase full of cash, culminating in a tense confrontation where Jeon, suspicious, points a gun at Gu-ho. In the epilogue, Yi-rang quietly restores justice to Yesol-mo, by returning the cash shaman has taken from her. | |||
| 2 | "Sand Foundation" | September 7, 2025 | |
|
In this episode, Jeon Tae-soo tests the loyalty of Yoon Yi-rang and Myung Gu-ho by entrusting them with a secretive mission to the Philippines involving a password-protected hard drive. Their journey turns into chaos when they’re kidnapped, only for Jeon Tae-soo to dramatically appear at crucial point, deepening his trust in Gu-ho. As pressure mounts from upcoming investigations, Jeon plans a scheme to smuggle 50 billion won in slush funds disguised as relief supplies aboard a chartered plane. But the plan unravels mid-flight when Yi-rang and James, posing as a co-pilot execute a daring heist, dumping the money overboard and leaving Jeon Tae-soo with worthless paper. The elaborate con was later revealed culminating in the stolen funds being anonymously donated to a youth shelter. As Jeon Tae-soo is arrested for child abuse and confinement, Yi-rang’s mysterious behavior hints at a deeper motive. | |||
| 3 | "Déjà vu" | September 13, 2025 | |
|
The episode opened with a lavish VIP charity auction, where Team Confidence Man—Yoon Yi-rang, Myung Gu-ho, and James—executed a daring con against art critic Yoo Myung-min. Disguised in glamorous roles, they infiltrated the event to steal incriminating evidence from Yoo’s office, but their plan hit a snag when the safe didn’t contain what they expected. The episode then revealed their motive: Yoo had harassed a young artist and was involved in art fraud and illegal cultural trade. Yi-rang, initially reluctant, joined the mission after discovering a personal connection to one of Yoo’s paintings. The team baited Yoo with a forged masterpiece, which he failed to detect, boosting their confidence, until their forger was suddenly arrested, and Yoo turned toward them, raising the stakes with a tense question look!. | |||
| 4 | "Ghost Castle" | September 14, 2025 | |
|
Yi-rang, Gu-ho, and James expose Mr. Famous, who imprisoned young artists, forced them to work, and used them to launder money through fictitious auctions. During a charity gala, they obtain a USB stick containing evidence, and Yi-rang organises a provocation with the fake artist Myeong-shin, which leads to Mr Famous being ridiculed at the auction. Bo-ra reveals the truth and shows recordings of the abuse, and the police arrest Mr Famous. Yi-rang deletes the ‘Ghost Castle’ file from the USB stick, suggesting her personal connection to the past and trauma, which James discovers. Translated with DeepL.com (free version) | |||
| 5 | "Atoms Black Noir" | September 20, 2025 | |
|
Yoon Yi-rang, James, and Myung Gu-ho reconnect with young patient Han Jae-hee at Jae-kyung Hospital and uncover medical negligence linked to CEO Lee Sun-mi and surgeon Jo Sung-woo. After Jae-hee’s condition worsens due to a botched surgery, the trio initiates a revenge plan. Yi-rang confronts Lee Sun-mi, while James infiltrates her circle by posing as a VVIP broker and manipulating her trust through staged encounters and drug-laced gifts. Lee Sun-mi is tricked into believing she has a life-threatening aortic condition and desperately seeks help from "Rachel," a legendary ghost surgeon—unaware that Rachel is Yi-rang in disguise. As panic sets in, Lee Sun-mi agrees to pay US$2.5 million for the surgery. The episode ends with Yi-rang entering the operating room in full scrubs, setting the stage for a dramatic climax. | |||
| 6 | "Waves on the Edge" | September 21, 2025 | |
| 7 | "Mask Girl" | September 27, 2025 | |
| 8 | "Mr. Gray" | September 28, 2025 | |
| 9 | "Their First Encounter" | October 4, 2025 | |
| 10 | "Madame Oh's Heydays" | October 5, 2025 | |
| 11 | "The Falling Out" | October 11, 2025 | |
| 12 | "Checkmate" | October 12, 2025 | |
Original soundtrack
| Confidence Queen | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various | |
| Released | 2025 |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Language | |
| Label |
|
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bleed It Out" | Junhwa Lee | Junhwa Lee, Ameno | Elaine | 4:02 |
| 2. | "Bleed It Out" (Inst.) | 4:02 | |||
| Total length: | 8:04 | ||||
Part 5
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Am I Wrong" | Ji Seong-ho, Ameno | NadaNiel, Ji Seong | Leenzy | 3:01 |
| 2. | "Am I Wrong" (Inst.) | 3:01 | |||
| Total length: | 6:02 | ||||
Part 6
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Giddy Up" | Lee Jun-hwa | Lee Jun-hwa | Iraon | 2:26 |
| 2. | "Giddy Up" (Inst.) | 2:26 | |||
| Total length: | 4:52 | ||||
Viewership
| Episodes | Episode number | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| 1–12 | N/A | 363 | N/A | N/A | 287 | 330 | 360 | 397 | 292 | N/A | 323 | N/A | |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[38][39] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | ||||
| 1 | September 6, 2025 | 1.1% (13th) | N/A | ||
| 2 | September 7, 2025 | 1.484% (9th) | 1.479% (9th) | ||
| 3 | September 13, 2025 | 1% (15th) | N/A | ||
| 4 | September 14, 2025 | 0.9% (24th) | N/A | ||
| 5 | September 20, 2025 | 1.303% (9th) | 1.274% (4th) | ||
| 6 | September 21, 2025 | 1.571% (4th) | 1.517% (5th) | ||
| 7 | September 27, 2025 | 1.771% (4th) | 1.734% (3rd) | ||
| 8 | September 28, 2025 | 1.772% (6th) | 1.689% (5th) | ||
| 9 | October 4, 2025 | 1.467% (7th) | 1.185% (10th) | ||
| 10 | October 5, 2025 | 0.7% (31th) | N/A | ||
| 11 | October 11, 2025 | 1.4% (11th) | 1.358% (8th) | ||
| 12 | October 12, 2025 | 1.4% (12th) | 1.504% (9th) | ||
| Average | N/A | N/A | |||
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